


It Took A Look Back (To Take Us Forward)

by spoilmesweetie



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, Mists of Time, Our favourite useless lesbian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-18 07:29:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15480681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spoilmesweetie/pseuds/spoilmesweetie
Summary: Mildred gets caught up in The Mists of Time (again) and ends up faced with a younger version of Miss Hardbroom and Miss Pentangle.  Will they be able to get her home?  And what might Mildred be able to do in return?"Mildred watched as Miss Hardbroom’s eyes snapped up at the sound of the new voice, a small smile creeping onto her lips before she could stop it. Following her gaze her eyes landed on a petite young blonde with a fushia pink scarf wrapped around her neck, brightening the otherwise black uniform.  It would seem Miss Pentangle had always been fond of the colour pink, then."





	It Took A Look Back (To Take Us Forward)

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a bit of a plot bunny that just wouldn't leave me alone. Unbeta'd, so any mistakes are my own.
> 
> I'm still not entirely happy with this and feel some bits are a bit underdeveloped and it doesn't quite flow, so any and all criticism, constructive or otherwise, is welcome!

The last thing Mildred saw as the Mist engulfed her was the terrified face of Miss Hardbroom.

The first thing Mildred saw when the Mist cleared was the terrified face of Miss Hardbroom, only this face was much younger.  A few years older than Mildred herself, the identity of the girl with raven black hair that fell neatly down her back in a single plait was unmistakable.  Looking up at Mildred over the top of her book, familiar brown eyes filled with fear met her own. 

“Miss Hardbroom!”

Mildred uttering her name caused the younger version of her teacher to scramble rather inelegantly to her feet, dropping her book as she did so.  “H-how do you know my name?”

Stooping to retrieve the dropped book, Mildred smiled as she held it out.  “I kinda know you.”

“I have no idea who you are,” snapped Miss Hardbroom, snatching her book back.

“That’s because I’m not exactly from around here,” replied Mildred.  She watched as the younger version of her teacher eyed her warily, taking her in from head to toe.  “Have you heard of the Mists of Time?”

Just as Hecate opened her mouth to respond she was cut off by a gaggle of pretty young witches from across the courtyard. 

“Oh look, Horrible Hecate has picked up a stray!”

“Maybe she’ll latch on to this one and leave poor Pippa alone,” added a second girl, sneering.  “It’s pathetic the way she follows her around like a lost little puppy.”

Mildred frowned as instead of snapping back, or making any attempt at all to defend herself at all, Miss Hardbroom merely dropped her gaze to the ground, gripping her book tightly.  Opening her mouth to shout back at them she found herself unable to, as if something was caught in her throat. 

“Don’t,” said Miss Hardbroom, her voice softer than Mildred had ever heard it.  “It’ll just make them worse.”

Closing her mouth, and feeling what was obviously a spell to silence her fade, Mildred felt her own shoulders slump at the defeated attitude of the younger version of her usually in control teacher.  She watched the group of sniggering witches cross the courtyard, Hecate already forgotten behind them.   

“Hiccup, there you are!”

Mildred watched as Miss Hardbroom’s eyes snapped up at the sound of the new voice, a small smile creeping onto her lips before she could stop it. Following her gaze her eyes landed on a petite young blonde with a fushia pink scarf wrapped around her neck, brightening the otherwise black uniform.  It would seem Miss Pentangle had always been fond of the colour pink, then.

“And who is this?” she asked, coming to stand next to Miss Hardbroom, easily looping an arm through the darker haired witches.

“Um,” Miss Hardbroom started, her eyes flicking to Mildred, widening comically when she realised she didn’t have an answer.

“I’m Mildred Hubble.  I came through the Mists of Time,” said Mildred, stepping in.  “But I don’t quite know how I ended up here.  I was at Cackle’s Academy.” 

Pippa frowned.  “But this is Amulet’s?  I thought the Mists only let you travel through time, not over distance too?”  She looked automatically to Hecate, her walking fount of all knowledge.

“I may have read something about their being able to move those caught up in them in rather strange ways depending on the circumstances,” offered Hecate shyly.

“Ooh, you’re a bit of a mystery then!” grinned Pippa.  “I do love a mystery!”

“This is one mystery we are not solving,” came Hecate’s voice, cutting across Pippa’s enthusiasm, her tone a warning.

Pippa sighed dramatically.  “You’re going to say we have to tell a teacher, aren’t you?”

“I’m not saying we can’t _assist_ ,” replied Hecate, not willing to dampen Pippa’s spirits too much.  “But given this girl came through the Mists of Time, I think it would be beneficial for the staff to know, and to be trying to send her back.  I don’t want her being stuck here on your conscience if we can’t figure out how to send her back on our own.”

Mildred didn’t miss Miss Hardbroom’s soft tone when she spoke to Pippa, or the way she only made reference to her worry of Mildred getting stuck being on the blonde’s conscience, as if her own worry was of no consequence. 

*

“Girls, thank you very much for bringing Miss Hubble to us.  Now, however, I need to ask you to step outside,” said Arabelle Amulet, her tone kind, but firm.

“But-“

“Miss Pentangle,” warned the headmistress.  “The request was not optional.”

Mildred had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at the expression that crossed over the blonde’s face before both she and Miss Hardbroom were transferred from the office by their headmistress.

“I have no doubt she will be back outside that door in a matter of minutes,” sighed the older witch.  “But hopefully Hecate will try to talk some sense into her and keep her on the other side of it.  And on the other side of my silencing charm,” she added with a smile.  “Now, if I understand matters correctly, you’ve come through the Mists of Time, and you appear to know Miss Pentangle and Miss Hardbroom.”  She held up a hand to stop Mildred from replying straight away.  “I know it must be confusing dear, but I need you to try and answer me as best you can without telling me anything I shouldn’t know.”

Mildred nodded, taking a few moments to think before she spoke.  “I came back in time.  Before I left, I was with Miss Hardbroom, but not here at Amulets.”

The headmistress raised an eyebrow.  “You travelled in time _and_ space?”

“I think so?” was the best Mildred could offer.  “I was at my school.”

“And Hecate was there?”

Mildred nodded.  “Almost right in front of me.”

“And when you appeared here at Amulet’s, she was right in front of you once more?”

Again Mildred nodded.  “But I don’t think she came through the Mists with me.”

The headmistress began to pace.  “I think you’re quite right there.  The Hecate Hardbroom who brought you here is certainly ‘our’ Hecate if we can call that the right phrasing.”  She halted in her pacing, looking intently at Mildred.  “You know Miss Hardbroom well, in your time?”

“Quite?  Sort of?” answered Mildred, not sure how else to answer without giving away specifics. 

“Related?”

At that, Mildred did laugh.  “No.  She’d disown me if we were, I think.”

The headmistress looked at her oddly.  “Okay…so not related.  And you know Miss Pentangle?”

“Not as well.  But I have met her.  The older her, a few times.”

“Is she still as utterly mischievous?” asked the headmistress with a pointed glare towards the door where the blonde’s voice could be heard through the heavy wood.  “The students never seem to realise I have a silencing charm working to silence what is said outwards, and an amplifying charm working from the outside in.”

_“I’m not trying to interfere, Hiccup!  I just want to help and I can’t do that if I don’t know anything!”_

_“You are going to end up getting us detention – again!”_

_“Oh come on, Hiccup.  You know you’re intrigued.  And who better to help but the brightest witch in the whole school?”_

“ _I’m hardly-“_

_“You’re bloody brilliant, Hiccup.  And don’t argue with me on that one.  You won’t win.”_

“I think we’ve heard enough, don’t you?” smirked the headmistress, turning to Mildred.  “Now, before I bring them in, I want to reassure you that me and my staff will do everything in our power to try and get you home, but as I’m sure you’ve noticed, while you may have come through the Mists of Time in your time, they don’t appear to be here to allow you to pass back through them right now.  While we get to work, I trust you won’t have any objections to my assigning Miss Pentangle and Miss Hardbroom to keep you company?”

Though Mildred was all too aware of the fickleness of the Mists of Time, and that there was a chance she may not be able to return to her time, she refused to worry about it until she absolutely had to.  It was a skill she seemed to have honed through the number of scrapes she had come through over her years at Cackles.  That, and she trusted that with Miss Pentangle and Miss Hardbroom on her side, she couldn’t possibly fail to make it home.  After all, as a wise witch once told her, a witch makes things go her way.

*

“Pippa, will you stop asking her things about the future!” snapped Hecate, slamming shut yet another heavy leather-bound volume.  “We’ll see the future when we get there.”

Pippa sighed.  “Well at least I know I’m still pretty.”  She sat up from where she had been draped across Hecate’s bed, flashing a winning smile at Mildred where she sat at the bottom of the bed.  “I’d hate to think I turned into some wrinkled old crone.”

Hecate rolled her eyes.  “Really, Pipsqueak?  Wrinkles are you biggest concern?”

“One of them,” shrugged Pippa, a teasing smile tugging at her lips.  “I bet you have adorable little lines on your forehead from all that frowning you do when you concentrate.”

Mildred couldn’t help but chuckle at their playful teasing.  It was so unlike the Miss Hardbroom she knew.  Seeing them together now, it also filled her with even more pride that she had brought them back together in her own time. 

“Pippa!” scowled Hecate.  “Are you actually going to help, or are you just going to sit there and imagine me becoming some horrible old hag?”

The blonde pushed herself up from the bed, coming to stand behind the darker haired witch.  She draped her arms around her shoulders, pressing a kiss to Hecate’s blushing cheek.  “You’re not going to become a horrible old hag.  You’re going to be amazing.  The second cleverest witch of our age.”

“The second?” questioned Hecate with a smirk, knowing the answer before it came.

“Me being the first, of course,” grinned Pippa, hugging her tightly from behind.

The smile that graced Hecate’s face was the first proper smile she had ever seen on Miss Hardbroom’s face.  She was really rather pretty when she smiled.

“And the most humble too,” added the darker haired witch, earning her a swat to her shoulder.  The laugh that had been bubbling up her throat was silenced, however, at the chiming of a reminder spell echoing through the room.

Hecate’s eyes flew to the clock on her wall.  “I have to go.”

Pippa looked at the clock too, quickly stepping back and letting Hecate go.  “I’ll walk with you?”

Hecate shook her head.  “No, you stay with Mildred.  I’ll be fine.”

“Hiccup.”  Pippa caught her hand as she went to go.  “Don’t listen to them.”

With an embarrassed glance at Mildred, Hecate slipped her hand from Pippa’s and left the room. 

Mildred watched as Pippa seemed to deflate when Miss Hardbroom left the room, closing her eyes for a moment before turning back to Mildred and putting on her best smile once more.

“Where did she go?”

“She has a set weekly mirror call with her parents,” said Pippa, her smile faltering.  “It’s best she’s not late for it,” she added sadly.  “You must be starving!” she said, trying to summon up some enthusiasm once more.  “Why don’t we go and see what I can find from the hamper of treats my parents sent me.  Stretch our legs a bit before we go back to the books?”

*

Pippa gestured vaguely at the door when it knocked, her eyes never leaving the page of the book she was reading.  It swung open to reveal a nervously fidgeting Hecate Hardbroom. 

“Miss Hardbroom,” smiled Mildred as she looked up, having been rather engrossed herself in a paragraph about the various ways in which the mists of time had been recorded to have transferred a person.  She frowned on seeing the younger version of her teacher looking so small and withdrawn, her eyes red, as if she’d been crying.

Pippa’s eyes finally left the book she was reading at Mildred’s words.  “Hiccup!  Everything okay?” 

“I’m fine,” replied Hecate.  “Can I come in?”

“How many times have I told you you don’t have to ask?” asked the blonde, pushing up from her desk and making her way over to the younger Miss Hardbroom.  She reached out and tugged her into the room by her hand, guiding her to sit on the pink bedspread as she closed the door behind them with a flick of her wrist.  “Sit.  Eat.”  She gestured to the small mound of sweets that she and Mildred had been picking their way thought.  “You’ll be glad to hear we’ve been making progress.”

Mildred nodded.  “And think we might know how I ended up here.”

“More specifically, ended up appearing right in front of you,” smiled Pippa.

Hecate straightened up where she sat, looking a little less sad.  “And?”

“We think the Mists have moved Mildred within your timeline,” said Pippa.  “There are recorded instances of it happening before.  Not many, mind you, but it has happened.”

“And you were literally right in front of me when I left,” added Mildred.

“And right in front of you when you appeared,” finished Hecate.  “But why me?  I know you say you know me in the future, but…”

*

“This is going to be so much fun!” grinned Pippa, leading the way as the trio made their way back to her chambers from the headmistresses office.  “A sleepover on a school night!”

Hecate, however, was not so enthusiastic.  She was already imagining the rumours that would be spread about her if any of their classmates discovered she was spending the night in Pippa’s room with the mysterious new pupil.  Not to mention, their teachers still hadn’t found a way to return said mysterious new pupil to her own time.

“You know, if you’d rather stay in your own room, I wouldn’t mind.”

Turning to Mildred, Hecate frowned. 

“You’re a private person in my time,” shrugged Mildred.  “I’m guessing you are now, too.  I can share with Miss Pentangle and you can have your own space.”  She watched as the younger version of her teacher looked towards Pippa. 

“I’m sure I can manage one night not locking myself away from all human company.”

Mildred smiled back at her.  “If you’re sure.  But I warn you, apparently I snore.”

Hecate manage a small smile back.  “So does Pippa.”

*

Mildred roused at a particularly loud snore from the girl next to her on the bed.  Miss Hardbroom hadn’t been kidding.  Pippa really did snore.  Half opening her eyes, she shifted as Pippa adjusted herself in her sleep, her snoring quietening to a gentle snuffle once more.  Frowning at the light coming from the corner of the room, she glanced over to find Miss Hardbroom sitting in the armchair by the window, a small orb of light hovering above her, a heavy leather-bound book in her lap.  The book, however, was currently being ignored.  Miss Hardbroom’s gaze was directed at the still slumbering Pippa Pentangle, a soft smile on her face. 

“Aren’t you tired?” she asked, her voice thick with sleep. 

Hecate’s gaze snapped to Mildred.  “I’m reading.”

“I can see that,” said Mildred.  “But shouldn’t you at least get some sleep?”

“I’ve taken a wide-awake potion.  I don’t need to sleep,” replied the other witch.  “You should try and get back to sleep though.  From what I’ve read coming through the Mists can be quite magically draining.  And if we’re sending you back soon you’ll need to recharge or you’ll end up with magical exhaustion.”

Mildred tried to reply, but found herself unable to stop a wide yawn. 

“My point exactly,” smirked Hecate.  “Sleep Mildred.  I’m just going to keep reading for a little longer.”

*

Pippa woke the next morning with a grumble and a stretch, blinking awake in the half light of the room.  She couldn’t recall having fallen asleep the night before, her last memory being of chatting over theories of how Mildred had come to land precisely where she did, and how they might start to consider getting her home. 

Sitting up in bed, careful not to jostle the girl sleeping next to her she realised that someone must have tucked her in the night before, the soft blanket from the bottom of her bed covering her.  Looking across her magically enlarged bed, she frowned on not seeing Hecate.  Glancing around the room she smiled when her eyes landed on her friend curled up in her armchair, her chin resting on her knees which were pulled up to her chest, gazing out of the window.  She looked beautiful, her face and features soft in the early morning light. 

“Morning Hiccup,” she whispered, smiling when Hecate turned her gaze to her.  “You haven’t slept, have you?”

“I was reading,” replied Hecate, gesturing down to the stack of books beside her chair. 

“So I see,” said Pippa, slipping from her bed carefully, keeping her blanket tucked around her.  “Any breakthroughs?”

“I might have an idea,” replied Hecate.  “But it’s not exactly simple…”

*

Even before breakfast, Mildred had been summoned to the headmistress’s office.  She hoped, given the urgency that they might have found a way to send her home.  As she sat listening to the various staff members argue over each other, however, her hope had well and truly faded.  It wasn’t that they weren’t trying, they just didn’t know how to send her home without the Mists being present.  She couldn’t be sent back through the Mists at the exact point she arrived when there was no Mist to be sent through. 

She sighed as she was guided down to breakfast by an apologetic Miss Amulet.  “We’ll keep trying, Mildred.  I promise you that.  I’ve reached out to a few contacts outside of the school too.  We will find a way to get you home.”

Deflated and disappointed, Mildred nodded, allowing herself to be guided into the dining hall.  She cast her eyes around the room, catching sight of Pippa chatting with a group of fellow students.  There was no sign, however, of Hecate. 

“Mildred, there you are!” grinned Pippa, leaving the girls she had been speaking to with barely even a goodbye.  “Have I ever told you how Hecate is a little bit brilliant?  What am I saying, you know her in your time.  Of course you know she’s brilliant.”  She grabbed her hand excitedly, pulling her along with her.  “Come on!”

*

“This might not work,” said Hecate, before she had even begun to explain the plan she had come up with.  “In fact, it probably won’t work.  And it’s also quite dangerous.”

Pippa rolled her eyes.  “Hiccup, that is not going to make Mildred feel better!”

“I’m not trying to make her feel better!” snapped Hecate.  “I’m trying to tell her the truth.  This is dangerous and is more likely not to work than it is to succeed.”

Mildred found herself fidgeting nervously.  “If it’s all the same to you.  I’d still like to try.”  She watched as familiar eyes snapped up to meet her own.  “I have friends and people who I’d like to get back to.  Not that this hasn’t been...”  Interesting?  Fun?  Downright weird?  “Great,” she finally settled on.  “But it’s not where I belong.  When I belong.” 

Hecate nodded.  “All right.  Tonight then.  That gives us time to prepare.”  _And the staff a little longer to come up with their own solution_ , she thought to herself, before she then had to attempt a plan that was tantamount to madness.

*

“No!”

Mildred flinched at how familiar the harsh tone sounded.

“This was my plan.  I shall be the one to execute it.  I’m not putting you in harm’s way too,” said Hecate, her eyes pleading as she tied up the bag containing everything they would need. 

Pippa, however, was having none of it.  “We’ll have a better chance of succeeding if we each focus on one thing.  I’ll bottle the Mists back up and you concentrate on sending Mildred to future you.”

“And what if I lose you through the Mists?” asked Hecate, her voice raw with emotion. 

The blonde stepped close, taking Hecate’s hands.  “It would be no worse than if I lost you through them.”  She stood on tiptoe to press a kiss to the darker haired witch’s cheek.  “Together, or not at all.”

Mildred felt a little awkward at being witness to such an open display, and couldn’t help wondering what happened from here to tear the two apart for decades.  Looking at them now, she knew it had to be more than the broomstick waterskiing display. 

Finally, Hecate nodded.  “Together.”  She turned to Mildred.  “You have the hardest part in this, I’m afraid.  You have to trust us.”

Grinning, Mildred replied.  “That’s not the hardest part, that’s the easiest.  You forget, I know you.”

Young Hecate raised an eyebrow.  “You know an older me who I hope is somewhat competent.  At the moment, you’re trusting two students to meddle with the Mists of Time.”

“I trust you,” said Mildred, her eyes never leaving Miss Hardbroom’s.  “You should trust yourself too.”

*

Mildred shivered as she stood before the younger version of Miss Hardbroom.

“Now you’re sure you don’t have anything from here on you.  Nothing that will be out of time when you go back, or left anything behind that might change things here?”

Mildred shook her head, teeth chattering.  “Nope.  I just had Miss Pentangle’s coat.  And I didn’t have anything with me to leave.  Only my clothes and I’m wearing them.”

Hecate nodded, sending a silent warming spell over the girl in front of her, half wondering why the girl hadn’t already cast her own.  What were they teaching young witches in the future?  “Very well.  We should start.”  She looked over to where Pippa was standing, bottle in hand, now bundled up in two coats, having also donned that which Mildred had now discarded.  “Ready?”

Getting a nod in the affirmative from Pippa, she looked back at Mildred.  “If this doesn’t work, I truly am sorry.”

“You might not know me yet, but let’s just say in my time you know I have a habit of escaping disaster,” replied Mildred, hoping her luck would hold.

“If you’re sure?” asked Hecate again, nerves creeping in once more.

Pippa came to stand next to her friend, smiling encouragingly.  “Hecate, even if this doesn’t work, Mildred hasn’t lost anything in our trying.”  She held out the empty glass bottle in front of her.  “Now, shall we summon the Mists of Time?”

Then, just as now, mused Mildred, Miss Pentangle made everything seem so straightforward.

All three witches placed their hand on the bottle, taking a deep breath before starting to repeat the spell Hecate had put together.

_Mists, mover of time and space_

_We summon you now to return a girl, misplaced_

_Come to us now, to our purpose, our aid_

_And help and return this which, who has strayed._

Mildred gasped as the bottle slowly began to fill with Mist that seemed to come from the air around them.  Once the bottle was full, Pippa quickly pushed in the cork, sealing it shut.  “You did it!”

“ _We_ did,” murmured Hecate.  She looked at Mildred once more.  “Are you sure you want to do this?  I can’t guarantee where you’ll end up.””

Mildred nodded.  “I’m sure.”  She watched as Miss Hardbroom and Miss Pentangle share a look before the both stepped into action, standing on opposite sides of Mildred. 

“ _Through the Mists of Time this witch came,_

_Now time to send her back again,_

_Through time and space to her own,_

_Forward to me, my flesh and bone_.”

Releasing the Mist, Pippa stepped back out of its way, her eyes trained on Hecate as she repeated the spell.  Finally, on her third repetition, she gave a nod to Mildred, who stepped into the Mist without hesitation.  One she had disappeared, Pippa hastily repeated the spell to bottle the Mist once more before rushing to Hecate’s side.

“Do you think it worked?”

“Well, she’s gone,” said Pippa, gesturing to the empty space where Mildred had been.

“I know, but do you think she ended up where she was supposed to?”

The blonde smiled up at her friend.  “You sent her to you.  Even if she does end up in the wrong time, she’ll be with you.”

“That doesn’t count for much,” mumbled Hecate, grumbling as Pippa lifted her chin, forcing her to meet her eyes.

“It means that wherever and whenever she is, she’s safe.”

*

Miss Hardbroom, though she would never admit to it, gave a rather undignified squeak as a small ball of Mist gathered above her desk.  Scrambling back out of its reach, she gasped as Mildred stepped out of it, before it seemed to vanish on its own, leaving only the young witch standing atop her desk, grinning. 

“You did it!”

Hecate simply continued to stare at the girl, dumbfounded, as she scrambled off the desk, and ran towards her, wrapping her arms tightly around her waist.  “Mildred,” she managed finally, her voice barely a whisper.  “I didn’t do anything.”

Mildred grinned up at her teacher, arms still tight around her.  “You did.  You sent me home.”

“Mildred, I’m afraid I don’t understand.”  She had spent the last 48 hours trying in vain to find some way, any way, to bring Mildred home, but she hadn’t actually _done_ anything.

At this, Mildred frowned.  Shouldn’t she remember?  “Maybe it takes a while for your memories to catch up?”

Hecate’s eyes widened as she began to comprehend.  Or perhaps recall.  It was a little hazy.  “You met a younger version of me?”  She watched as Mildred nodded.  “Oh...may I ask, how much younger?”

“You were still in school.  A couple of years older than me.  Miss Pentangle was there too.”

This didn’t surprise Hecate.  She and Pippa had been inseparable at school, before she had gone and ruined it all.  “She was, was she?”

“She helped,” grinned Mildred.  “You were brilliant.”

Hecate felt her cheeks blush at the unexpected compliment.  “I’m just glad you’re back safely.  Now, we must tell Miss Cackle of your return, she’s been quite beside herself with worry.” 

*

Hecate startled at the knock to her door, glancing at the clock before pushing herself up from her armchair to answer it.  She was somehow unsurprised to find Mildred standing before her, fidgeting as usual. 

“Hi Miss Hardbroom.  Sorry to disturb you.  Only...well...I wanted to thank Miss Pentangle for helping send me back, but I don’t have any mirror tokens and I don’t actually know how to mirror her...I only know how to mirror my mum.”  Mildred dropped her gaze to her shoes, slightly embarrassed. 

Placing a hand on Mildred’s shoulder, Hecate waited until the younger witch looked up at her.  With a gesture of her free hand, she produced a mirror token.  “Your request is not unreasonable.”  She transferred them to the student mirror room, empty at this time of night.  Stepping in front of Mildred for a moment she reached out and touched the glass, starting the call to Pippa, mirroring her personal chambers. A connection Mildred would not have been able to access even if she knew how to contact other mirrors charmed for such calls.  A few moments later, the blonde appeared, wrapped in a fluffy pink robe, a quill stuck in her haphazard ponytail. 

Hecate couldn’t help but smile at the image.  “Busy marking?” she asked, pleased Pippa appeared to be dressed appropriately enough to speak with Mildred.  She had been known on occasion to accept mirror calls with Hecate made to her personal chambers fresh from the shower, or in what Hecate had thought was quite possibly the shortest nightgown in existence.

“No, replying to letters I should have replied to an age ago,” said the blonde. 

“Speaking of an age ago,” said Hecate.  “I have someone here who wants to speak to you.  More specifically, to say thank you for a good deed we apparently did many moons ago.”

Pippa frowned as Hecate stepped aside to reveal Mildred.  “Miss Hubble, always a pleasure.”

“I’ll leave you to it,” she said softly, stealing one last glance at the blonde before transferring out.

“Lovely as it is to speak to you Mildred, I’m afraid don’t quite know what you’re thanking me for,” said Pippa.

Mildred had hoped her memories might have caught up by now.  “You and Miss Hardbroom sent me back through the Mists of Time.  The younger versions of you, anyway.”

To say Pippa was surprised was an understatement.  “Hang on, if you went into the Mists at Cackle’s, how did you end up seeing a younger version of myself and Miss Hardbroom?”

“You figured out I had moved in Miss Hardbroom’s timeline,” smiled Mildred.  “It was kinda weird to see you both around my age.”

The blonde chuckled.  “I imagine it would be.  I hope we were at least nice to you?”

“You were the bats.  Both of you,” replied Mildred.  “Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you.  And double check I hadn’t accidentally changed anything.”  She paused, worrying at the frown that seemed to have developed on Miss Pentangle’s face.  “Is everything okay?”

Pippa nodded.  “My head is just a little fuzzy, is all.  I suspect it’s most likely my memories rearranging themselves.”

“You’re starting to remember?  Does this mean you always knew who I was?” asked Mildred.

“I always knew you were a very special witch,” smiled Pippa, tactfully avoiding having to answer. 

Mildred paused, trying to gather her courage to ask her next question.  “Did you know she loved you then?” 

“What?”  Pippa’s frown was back full force. 

“Miss Hardbroom,” clarified the younger witch. 

Pippa sighed, shaking her head.  “Mildred, I think you’re misunderstanding things.  Hecate and I have only ever been friends, then and now.”

“No, Miss Pentangle,” said Mildred.  “I don’t think I am.”

*

 Pippa had thought, overthought, dismissed and rethought her position in relation to what Mildred had told her.  Part of her was elated, but part of her was also terrified.  Was she really willing to bet their renewed friendship, still so tentative and new, on the word on an eleven year old girl?

By the time Saturday finally rolled around, and her already scheduled meeting with Hecate, her stomach had well and truly tied itself in knots.  The whole flight over she wasn’t sure if she was fizzing with excitement or about to faint. 

They had taken tea in Hecate’s chambers, as was their custom, and owing to the sunshine outside, and Pippa’s gentle prodding, the darker haired witch had agreed to a walk around the gardens.

“I had meant to ask,” said Pippa, trying to appear nonchalant.  “How has Mildred been after her little trip to our past?”

Hecate didn’t stop walking, but did frown at the question, as though she’d just eaten something particularly awful.  “She’d been...odd.  She keeps _hugging_ me, and telling the other girls to stop being quite so harsh in their comments towards me.”

Pippa sighed.  “I can guess what she might have seen when she met us them.  Those girls were awful to you.”

“You weren’t though,” said Hecate, as though that made up for every barb she had ever faced.  “You never have been.”

“How could I?” asked Pippa.  “I still don’t know how people can fail to see how wonderful you are.”  She slowed her steps, hesitant to push the conversation, but unable to stay silent.  “Hecate?”  She waited until the other witch stopped her own steps, turning to her with a questioning frown.  “Can I ask you something?  And can I ask that you answer me honestly, even if you might be scared to, or find it difficult?”

Terrified, but unable to deny Pippa anything, Hecate nodded.

“Did you love me then?  When we were girls?”

Feeling every muscle in her body tense, Hecate forced herself to take a breath.  “What did Mildred say to you?” she asked, unable to stop her fidgeting hands or the blush that crept across her cheeks before she could even duck her head to hide it.  She was aware, as her memories of Mildred’s visit through the Mists had settled that the perceptive young girl may have been privy to more than she was strictly comfortable with.  Her school self did not have the levels of self-discipline her adult self did, particularly when it came to Pippa.

Pippa stepped forward, taking Hecate’s hands in her own, stopping her fidgeting.  “I think she saw what I couldn’t then, because I was too busy trying to process what I was feeling.”

Brown eyes snapped up to meet her own, filled with fear, but hope too.  “What did you feel?”

 “I loved you just as much then as I do now.”

Hecate felt her eyes fill with tears, felt them spill down her cheeks. “You love me?”

Pippa nodded.  “I do.”  She freed one hand to reach up and cup Hecate’s now furiously blushing cheek.   “How could I not love the witchiest witch there is?”  She was pleased when a soft smile crept onto her friend's face.

“I love you too,” she whispered, as though it was a secret.  She leant in, just a fraction, but stopped herself, still ensure. 

Closing the rest of the distance for her, Pippa gently pressed her lips against Hecate’s, smiling into the contact.  She pulled back, her smile only widening at the look of wonder on the other witch’s face.  Tugging Hecate by their joint hands, she began to slowly follow the path the had previously been walking, wanting to give her friend a moment to process their recent revelations.  She knew to overwhelm her would only lead to her withdrawing.

“There was something I wanted to ask,” said Hecate, after a few moments.  “If your memories are clear enough?”

Pippa nodded, wondering what was coming next.

“Who did you think she was, then?”  asked the darker haired witch.  “Mildred, I mean?”

Ducking her head, Pippa bit her lower lip, hesitating before deciding the truth was the only answer she could give.  “I thought she was your daughter.  I might have even thought for a moment or two she could be our daughter.”  She turned to find Hecate’s eyes wet with fresh tears.

“We could have had so much...”

Pulling them to a halt, Pippa turned and pressed her lips firmly to Hecate’s.  Leaning their foreheads together, she offered a watery smile.  “Don’t.  Don’t dwell on what if’s and might have beens.  I loved the girl you were then and I love the woman you have become now even more.  We have everything we need right here.  We have each other.”

“And that’s enough for you?” asked Hecate, almost fearfully.

“As long as it’s enough for you,” replied Pippa.  “Then being able to call you mine is more than enough for me.”

*

Mildred looked up from her latest drawing, sure she had heard something.  Sure enough, a few moments later there was the sound of hushed voices followed by what sounded like something being dropped outside her door.

Crossing the small room, she pulled open the door, but no one was there.  Glancing down, however, her eyes landed on a gleaming glass cauldron and stand, practically overflowing with chocolates and sweets and topped with a bouquet of bight flowers.

There was no note, but as Mildred lugged the gift into her room, a wide grin on her face, there was no doubt in her mind as to who it was from.


End file.
